Portable furniture



Nov. 24,1936. s 2,061,929

' PORTABLE FURNITURE v Filed D80. 24; 1935 g I (W INVENTOR. W

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 24, 1936 PORTABLE FURNITURE Fletcher Ames, Palo Alto, Calif. Application December 24, 1935, Serial No. 56,033

3 Claims.

This invention relates to furniture such as canopy covered couches, hammocks, swings, and the like, whichare usually placed outdoors on the porch or lawn, and particularly to means for rendering furniture of this character portable.

Outdoor furniture, such as couches, hammocks, and the like, are usually secured in or hung from a steel frame which is partially enclosed or covered by a canopy. Furniture of this character is large 1 in size and fairly heavy and, as such, is difiicult to move about. For instance, if the sun is shining but the weather is fairly cool it may be desirable to move the furniture to a sunny exposure; conversely, if the weather is hot a shady spot 15 would be more desirable, but as the furniture is heavy and awkward to move it usually stays wherever it is first placed.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplify the construction and operation of furniture of the character described; to provide furniture of this character which may be rendered portable and, in particular, to provide a permanent attachment whereby any individual may readily elevate the frame and simultaneously swing wheels into position to support the frame on the wheels so as to permit it to be easily pulled to the position desired.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a couch hammock;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partially in section of the main frame, said View showing the rollers or wheels permanently supporting one end and a second set of rollers or wheels whereby the opposite end is elevated;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the elevating wheels and the crank whereby it is actuated;

Fig. 4 is a partial front view of the elevating 40 wheels and the crank mechanism whereby they are actuated;

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the crank actuated wheels in a position where the adjacent end of the frame is elevated.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly Fig. 1, which is a perspective view of a piece of outdoor furniture known as a couch hammock. It will be noted that the couch, indicated at A, is hung by means of chains B B 5 from a steel frame C and that this frame is partially enclosed or covered by a canopy to afford shade and protection against wind to the occupant of the couch.

The couch, together with the frame from which 55 it is hung, and the canopy covering the frame forms a comparativelylarge piece of furniture of considerable weight and as the frame usually rests directly on the lawn, or whatever surface it is placed upon, it requires at least two individuals to move it.

The purpose of the present invention is to make it possible for a single individual to readily move furniture of this character from place to place whenever desired. This is accomplished by placing a pair of wheels 2-2 at the end of the frame, indicated at 3, so that that end of the frame will be permanently supported thereby. On the opposite end of the frame indicated at l, is secured a bearing bracket 5 vertically disposed in the bracket and free to rotate therein is the king pin 5 on the lower end of which is formed a fork 6 and pivoted in said fork is a crank which is divided into two arms l and 8 on which are journaleda pair of wheels l and 8 The crank is also provided with a socket 9 for the reception of a handle it, which is used for elevating the end t of the frame and also for pulling the furniture from place to place. The crank arms, together with the wheels journaled thereon, and the handle to form a unit which is detachable by merely removing the pin indicated at 6 When attached to the fork the unit will normally assume the position shown in Fig. 2, where it is inoperative, as the end frame 4 is supported by a pair of blocks ll-l l, which not only support that end of the frame but also look the frame as a whole against movement. On the other hand, if it is desired to move the furniture it is only necessary to grasp the handle and swing it downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5. This causes the crank to swing about in the fork 6, bringing the wheels "i and 8 into engagement with the ground and at the same time elevating the end i of the frame a sufiicient distance to clear the blocks l l-l l with relation to the ground. The weight of the frame is thus transferred from the blocks to the wheels and the entire frame can, accordingly, be pulled or swung to any other place or position desired and when this position is reached it is only necessary to swing the handle back to normal upright position. This causes the wheels i and 8" to swing clear of the ground and the frame to settle and rest on the blocks li-l l. The whole operation of raising the frame, pulling it to the position desired and then lowering it into place is quickly and easily accomplished.

While two wheels 1! and 8 are shown as journaled in opposite sides of the forked crank arm, a single wheel journaled between the crank arms may obviously be employed, and while this and other features of the present invention are more or less specifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In furniture of the character described having a main frame which is wheel supported at one end and leg supported at the opposite end, means for raising the leg supported end, said means comprising a bearing bracket secured to the leg supported end of the frame, a vertically disposed king pin journaled in said bracket, a fork formed on the lower end of the king pin, a pair of connected crank arms held at one end in the fork and free to swing therein, a pair of wheels journaled one on each crank arm at the opposite ends of the crank arms, and a handle secured to the crank arms intermediate their ends to swing the crank arms together with the wheels below the frame to raise the same.

2. In furniture of the character described having a main frame which is wheel supported at one end and leg supported at the opposite end, means for raising the leg supported end, said means comprising a bearing bracket secured to the leg supported end of the frame, a vertically disposed king pin journaled in said bracket, a fork formed on the lower end of the king pin, a pair of connected crank arms held at one end in the fork and free to swing therein, a pair of wheels journaled one on each crank arm at the opposite ends of the crank arms, a socket member formed integral with the crank arms intermediate their ends, and a handle member insertable in said socket to swing the crank arms together with the Wheels below the frame to raise the same.

3. In furniture of the character described having a main frame which is wheel supported at one end and leg supported at the opposite end, means for raising the leg supported end, said means comprising a bearing bracket secured to the leg supported end of the frame, a vertically disposed king pin journaled in said bracket, a fork formed on the lower end of the king pin, a pair of connected crank arms held at one end in the fork and free to swing therein, a pair of wheels journaled one on each crank arm at the opposite ends of the crank arms, a socket member formed integral with the crank arms intermediate their ends, a handle member insertable in said socket to swing the crank arms together with the wheels below the frame to raise the same, and detachable means securing the crank arms in the fork of the king pin when placed therein.

FLETCHER AMES. 

